Ring for games



M. BRADLEY. RING FOR GAMES.

(No Model.)

No. 803,113. Patented Aug. 5, 1-884.

INVENTOR BY A W z I ATTORNEY WITNESSES u FiYERS. PiwluLilMgnphen Wam-Mnghn. D.C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON BRADLEY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

RING FOR. GAMES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 303,113, dated August 5. 1884.

Application filed May 22, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MILTON BRADLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rings for Games, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in' rings for game purposes, the object being to provide rings of this class having greater strength and durability than those heretofore made, and having an improved textile covering and an improved joint-fastening.

In the drawings forming part of this specification is illustrated in Figure 1 a game-ring constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 shows a modified end coupling.

, In the drawings, a indicates the core or wood center of the ring, I) the textile covering, and c the joint-dowel.

Rings for game purposes have heretofore been made by bending a strip of wood of proper size and form and nailing its ends together, and finishing by winding a tape or ribbon around it in a spiral direction and fastening the ends of the latter in any suitable manner. In so making said rings the covering thereof affords no protection against the cracking and splintering of the wood center when it is bent, and does not aid in making a strong joint in the ring; and, furthermore, the spirally -wound covering, if worn or broken in one place,-unwinds and comes oil, leaving the wood bare and unprotected, and a nailed 3 5 joint in the ring is apt to break apart in use I and harm the user of the ring.

All of the above-named inconveniences are obviated in the within-described improved ring.

In constructing my ring as shown in the drawings I. prefer to employ rattan for the wood center a; but a strip of ash or'hickory or other flexible kind of wood may be employed, since the covering used so protects the center that wood of such nature cannot splinter in bendin The strip which is to form the center of the ring has a woven or plaited covering, 12, applied thereto,of thread or silk, so tightly braided thereon as to protect the center against any fracture by bend ing and make the ring very durable, as well as to sosecure the ends which are to be joined as to permit of making a strong butt-joint, as shown, without nailing and without any liability of splitting said ends. After the center a has had the covering 1) applied to it, it is cut to proper length, and its ends are bored outto receive the ends of the dowel c, which is made, preferably, of suitable wire bent to the proper curve. Glue is then applied to the dowel and to the meeting ends of the ring, and it is placed in asuitable clamp to hold its ends together until the glue becomes dry, and the ring is finished by varnishing. The said coving of the ring, if broken or worn in one or more places, still remains on the center, and is not thereby caused to come off from the lat-- ter, as a wound covering will under like circumstances. The woven covering also so protects the center in bending that rings of quite small diameter can safely be made by the i1nproved method herein set forth.

Fig. 2 illustrates a modified fastening for the meeting ends of the ring, in which 3/ is a a braid-covered ferrule, made of metal or other suitable material, into which the said ends are forced, and therein further secured by any suitable cement or by pins put through the ends of the ferrule and the ring. The said ferrule may be substituted for the dowel-fastening, if desired.

What I claim as my invention is 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a ring for game purposes,consisting of a center of wooden material having a braided covering of textile material, and having its meeting ends united by a dowel and suitable cement, substantially as set forth.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a

Witnesses:

H. A. CHAPIN, J. D. GARFIELD. 

